This afternoons FOX feeding frenzy.

[Dr.Phool]

I stopped at the bar for a beer this afternoon, and glanced at the big screen on the other side of the room, and saw them having a coniption about a group who opposes flying the flag at half-staff for the pope.

The volume was (thankfully) turned off, so I couldn't hear it. But, it looked like these assholes were making a mountain over a molehill again!

[Fridays Child]

1. What? They're not discussing the Mel Martinez scandal?

Quelle surprise. :eyes:

[flakey_foont]

2. For the life of me

I cannot understand why that would bother anyone....flying the flag at half mast to honor the Pope............how is that hurting anybody?

[Tunkamerica]

3. not to mention the fact...

that he's the head of state of the vatican and entitled to the honor just like every other head of state.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi Tunkamerica!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[TheDebbieDee]

5. I think it's because many people would see it as our government

endorsing one religion over others. But people also forget that the Pope is not only a religious leader, but also a Head of State (Vatican City is a city-state or country inside of Italy.)


ETA: You're fast, TunkAmerica.

[Walt Starr]

4. Few things on the half staff bit

If you want to fly your flag at half staff at any time for any reason, do it. If you don't want to fly your flag at half staff at any time for any reason, don't.

If you don't like the president having the power to order flags be flown at half staff for a Pope, you'll need to lobby Congress to alter paragraph (m), Section 7, Chapter 1, Title 4 or the United States Code.

[David__77]

6. I don't care, so long as other foreign heads of state treated similarly.

If the head of state of Micronesia passed away, then the flag should also be lowered. If this isn't about heads of state, and about religious leaders, than the if the head of the Zoroastrians of Iran died, then the flag should come down too.

[CatholicEdHead]

8. WPR Talked about this yesterday

http://www.wpr.org/ideas/programnotes.cfm?dteDate=4/6/2005

http://clipcast.wpr.org:8080/ramgen/wpr/bme/bme050406l.rm


4:00 PM
Ben Merens - 04/06L

Orders to fly flags at half-mast for the Pope are excessive and show that the Catholic Church carries undue influence with political leaders. So says Ben Merens’ guest, after four.

Guest: Annie Lauri Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation www.ffrf.org